So the show opens with the so-called Grrl Genius walking through a set that appears to be made of brightly coloured pieces of cardboard. She's carrying a brightly coloured piece of cardboard that looks like a watering can, so I figure that the set was meant to be a garden. The set for her pieces during Charade was a funeral home, so the garden should have cued me into things to come. Anyway, the dozy blonde stumbles around in her heels (with jeans! Oh wait, that's in fashion again) explaining why Peyton Place is a Grrl Genius movie. (Because it's a soap. I think.)
Finally we get to the actual movie. There's an opening Voice Over with such comments as, "And then winter fell... it nipped our noses and our arrogance." Then Selena's brother Paul leaves home (a shack) because of a fight with their stepfather, who vows to quit drinking. Oh, and there's a new guy in town who is not a salesman. Good god, I'm already bored. I must not be a Grrl Genius.
Allison (of the VO) seems to be Lana's daughter. If Johnny Stompanato shows up, maybe I'll regain interest. GG already gave it away that a girl is raped by her stepfather and impregnated - presumably this would be Selena and the drunk - and the girl's mother hangs herself in Allison's room and Allison stops speaking due to trauma. That should be good.
At this point I missed my mouth and spilled water all over myself. When I recovered, the students at PP high school were presenting their teacher with a dictionary. A teacher without a dictionary? My word, what a town this is! Oh, and the teacher says it's the loveliest thing that ever happened to her. I must have missed a lot when I spilled my water.
Allison is the yearbook editor. What a geek!
Hey! Necking isn't allowed at this school. I'm so glad I didn't go to high school. Of course, this is set in 1939. Ooh! Maybe all the boys will go off to war and the girls will start necking with each other. Now THAT would be a Grrl Genius movie!
Miss Thornton (the teacher) is rejected as Principal in favor of the new guy, who insists on a higher salary than offered. Thank god I'm no feminist.
The school janitor is an angry drunk named Lucas. I wonder if he's the stepfather or another drunk. (Pays to look at the screen and not my notebook, I guess.)
So Mr. Rossi, the new principal, has two rules: One, teach the truth. Two, teach a minimum of facts and a maximum of ideas. I wonder if that's a contradiction.
Lana seems to own a store. She gives Selena a job so that she can buy new dresses for herself and her mother for graduation.
Allison's friend Betty is slutty and Lana doesn't like her. I do, though - she thinks that necklines do more for a girl's future than "the entire encyclopedia Britannica." I think she's half right, but just to be sure I err toward smart and pretty...
Oh, Allison likes a boy! Norman. He's a bit of a clod, but he loves her poetic ways. At least someone does; me, I wish she'd shut up. "Love, love, flowers, love..." Blech. The poor dear (Norman) doesn't like things at home.
Nelly, Lana's maid, has a heart to heart with Allison about mothers and daughters. Nelly's nice, so I bet she's the one who kills herself.
Poor Allison. Boy crazy, poetic, and fatherless.
Holy crap. 40 minutes commercial free. This is unheard of! When am I supposed to pee?
Anyway, Allison has a party, with Betty, boys, and some mistletoe. Rodney tries to spike the punch. Film at eleven.
Ooh, he's turned out the lights and there's dancing. Norman and Allison make eyes at each other. Ahh, young love. I really think I'll puke.
Lana is out, and meets the new principal. Hmm. Allison wants mom to date, but she hates Mr. Rossi for stealing the job from her favorite teacher. Wouldn't it be funny if mom started dating him? Allison, quick! Go check the kitchen knives.
Oh my gracious. The new principal wants to teach sex ed, but Lana thinks sex is for being learned after marriage. Quick cut to everybody at Allison's party, making out. Uh oh, Lana's home -- busted! I just knew that mistletoe would spell trouble.
While Lana and Allison were fighting about it, I went to the bathroom. (45 minutes and no commercials!) While I was in there, I realized that my nails needed filing. When I finally got back, everybody was headed to church. I wonder if this is meant to be a lesson about sin.
A little boy shows Allison his pets while the stepfather (remember him?) drunkenly attacks Selena. Allison and the boy (Selena's brother, Joey) burst in and Selena says it was her fault. Right, because it's OK to hit someone for telling you that trash goes in the trash can. (After the movie, Oslowe and I had a long talk and agreed that it is OK.)
back to girl genius?